Electrical switch means



July-21, 1970 J. L.. BONANNO ETAL 3,521,014

ELECTRICI'.:v SWITCH MEANS Filed April 2e, 1968l s sheets-sheet 1 July 21, 1970 J. L.. BONANNO ETAL 3,521,014

ELECTRICAL 'SWITCH MEANS Filed April ze. 1968 5 sheetssheet 2 INVENTORS: @asf/w 4. awww/v0 s/p/vfy ncp/age /fY/M/v Bom/wm By W# 5M TTOE/YEYS 'July 2l, 1970 J. L. BoNANNo ETA.. l3,521,014

ELECTRICAL SWITCH MEANS Filed April 26, 1968 s sheets-sheet s 7 27 v ///L/- 55 4 /5 yN 53 /DOQDO`o OOO 55 United States Patent O 3,521,014 ELECTRICAL SWITCH MEANS Joseph L. Bonanno, South Orange, Sidney Tepper, Millburn, and Hyman Boydman, Springfield, NJ., assignors to De Luxe Topper Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 724,401 Int. Cl. F2511 21/00; H01h 35/40 U.S. Cl. 200-83 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Device includes single-pole double-throw switch including two stationary contacts and one movable contact, the latter carrying two abutrnents. Actuator, pivotable about, and movable longitudinally with, a push rod engages one or the other abutment to swing movable contact from engagement with one of the stationary contacts to engagement with the other. Additional movable and stationary contacts provided, and resilient member, such as a bellows, normally -keeps additional contacts engaged. Push rod compresses bellows to separate additional contacts, and restricted opening in bellows causes time delay before additional contacts engage again.

This invention relates to electrical switch devices, and more particularly to such a device especially suited for use in an electrically operated toy, such as a doll.

A switch means of the type to which this invention relates is shown incorporated in the head of a doll illustrated and described in our copending application Ser. No. 724,400, tiled on the same day as this application. In that doll, when a diaper is litted in place, a switch in one of two parallel circuits is closed to condition the doll for actuation. Subsequently, a short time after the nipple of a simulated nursing bottle is inserted into and removed from the dolls mouth, an electrical circuit, within the doll and including a power source and a motor, is completed and the doll cries and kicks its feet. Removing the diaper breaks the circuit and quiets the doll, and placing a second diaper on the doll closes a switch in the other parallel circuit and conditions the doll for actuation after the next insertion and removal of the bottle nipple from the dolls mouth.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a switch means intended for incorporation within a larger body, and including a contact movable alternately between two positions in response to successive insertions of an action initiator into the body.

It is another object of the invention to provide a switch means wherein the contacts are maintained in engagement by a resilient means and including means for slowing the rate at which the resilient means returns to its normal condition after being stressed, so that a time delay is provided before the contacts reclose after they have been separated.

It is another object of the invention to provide a switch means wherein insertion of an action initiator into the body containing the switch causes simultaneous shifting of a double-throw contact and opening of a time delay switch.

To accomplish these objectives, the invention provides, in its preferred form, a housing supporting both a singlepole double-throw (SPDT) switch and a time delay switch connected in series. The SPDT switch includes two stationary contacts and a movable contact pivotably mounted to swing between two end positions in which it engages one or the other stationary contact. A spring in toggle relationship with the movable contact maintains the latter in engagement with either stationary contact at 3,521,014 Patented July 2l, 1970 ICC any one time. A push rod is slidable longitudinally Within the housing and pivotally carries an actuator adapted to engage one or the other of a pair of abutments carried by the movable contact. Upon each inward movement of the push rod, the actuator causes the movable contact to shift from one of its end positions to the other.

Also during each inward movement of the push rod,

the latter compresses a bellows formed of resilient material. In its normal expanded condition, the bellows maintains the movable contact of the time delay switch in engagement with the stationary contact of that switch. Upon compression of the bellows, these two contacts are permitted to separate. When the push rod thereafter moves outwardly, permitting the bellows to expand toward its normal condition due to its inherent resilience, air enters the bellows at a relatively slow rate through a restricted opening causing the bellows to expand at a correspondingly slow rate. After a short period, the bellows reaches its normal condition and recloses the time delay switch.

The push rod is moved inwardly by an action initiator, such as the rigid nipple of a simulated nursing bottle, when the latter is inserted into a tubular end of the switch housing. Upon removal of the action initiator, a spring returns the push rod to its outward position conditioning the actuator for engagement with the alternate abutment and permitting the bellows to expand.

Additional features and advantages of a switch according to this invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a longitudinal elevational view, partially in section, of an illustrative switch means with one half the housing removed to expose the interior, the push rod being shown in its outward position and the bellows in its normal condition;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, the housing being complete in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal elevational View after the switch means has been rotated about a vertical axis from its position shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are transverse cross-sectional views taken along the lines 4 4, 5 5, and 6 6, respectively, of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1 showing a rigid element partially inserted into the housing;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a rigid element fully inserted into the housing;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal elevational view after the switch means has been rotated 180 about a vertical axis from its condition shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. l1 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but immediately after the rigid element has been removed from the housing.

The switch means chosen to illustrate the present invention includes a housing having a tubular end portion 15, a relatively liat intermediate portion 16, and a cylindrical end portion 17 having an appendage 18. The housing is split along a longitudinal center-line for its entire length, except in the region of the end portion 15, to provide an upper portion 19 (FIG. 2) and a lower portion 20. The upper portion 19 has lbeen removed in FIG. 1.

The cylindrical housing portion 17 encloses a time delay switch including a bellows 21, and the appendage 18 houses a means providing a restricted opening into the interior of the bellows. The inter-mediate housing portion 16 carries a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) toggle switch and an actuator 22 (FIG. 1) for operating the SPDT switch. Between the intermediate portion 16 and cylindrical portion 17, the housing part is formed with an integral wall having a central notch 26 in its upper edge (see FIG. 4). This notch is closed by the lower edge of a short wall 27 integral with the housing part 19 and overlying the wall 25. The notch 26 serves as a bearing for slidably supporting the inner end of a push rod 28, the outer end of the rod being slidably supported within the tubular end portion 15 of the housing. The push rod 28 serves to transmit the motion of an action initiator inserted into the tubular portion 15 to both the SPDT switch and the time delay switch.

The SPDT toggle switch includes two stationary contacts 29 and 30 (FIGS. 3 and 10) lixed by rivets to the exterior face of housing part 20 in the region of intermediate portion 16. The contacts 29 and 30` are initially flat metal strips, the end of each strip facing the other being bent away from the housing to present two spacedapart, relatively broad, upstanding contact surfaces 29a and 30a. Each stationary contact is provided with means (not shown) at its other end for connecting it to an electrical conductor, such as a wire.

Between the two stationary contacts 29 and 30 is a movable contact 31 pivotally secured at one of its ends to the outer face of the housing by a rivet 32 (FIG. 2). The movable contact 31 is an initially iiat metal strip having two lateral contact arms 35 and 36 bent away from the housing, the arm 35 being adapted to engage contact face 29a and arm 36 being adapted to engage contact face 30a. At its outer end, the movable contact 31 has a tongue 37 bent away from the housing, the tongue having a hole through which the free end of a pin 38 is slidably accommodated. The opposite end of the pin is looped loosely around a post 39 integral with the housing, so that the pin is pivotable about the axis of the post. An imaginary line drawn between the post 39 and the rivet 32 is equidistantly spaced from the contact surfaces of the two stationary contacts 29 and 30. A compression spring 40 surrounds the pin 38, and seats at one end against the post 39 and at the other end against the tongue 37. The contact 31, pin 38, and spring 40 constitute a resilient toggle mechanism for alternatively maintaining the arm 36 in engagement with stationary contact 30 (FIG. 3), or the arm 35 in engagement with the Contact 29 (FIG. 10).

Near its pivot 32, the movable contact 31 has two abutments 43 and -44 projecting into the housing through rectangular openings 45 in the housing part 20. It is these abutments which are engaged by the actuator 22 to swing the movable contact 31 between its two positions. The actuator is an initially tiat rectangular strip bent into a squared-'U or channel shape, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 9, 'and ll, to define a central region 46 and two inwardly projecting legs 47 and 48. The region 46 is pro-vided with a hole 49 through which the push rod 28 passes, the diameter of hole 49 being larger than the diameter of the rod so that the actuator is permitted to tilt or pivot with respect to the rod. The leg 48 is adjacent to the inner surface of housing part 20 in region 16, and is adapted to slide longitudinally within the housing along a path extending along a line which intersects the pivot 32 of the movable Contact 31. The arrangement is such that at any one time, one of the abutments 43 or 44 carried by the movable contact is in the path of inward movement of the inner edge 50 of the leg 48. More specifically, if the contact arm 36 is engaging stationary contact 30 (FIGS. 1 and 3), the abutment 43 is in the path of movement of the edge 50; if the contact arm 35 is engaging stationary contact 29 (FIG. l0), the abutment 44 is in the path of movement of edge 50. The leg 47 is adjacent to the inner surface of housing part 19, and serves to guide and stabilize the actuator during movement, and in particular prevents the leg 48 from slipping, over the abutment which it engages.

For the purpose of transmitting the inward movement of the push rod 28 to the actuator 22, the rod is formed with an integral backing plate 53. A tinger 54 projects laterally from the plate 53 through a guide slot 55 in the 4 housing part 19 (FIGS. 2 and 5). Cooperation of the inger and guide slot permits longitudinal sliding movement of the plate 64 and rod 28, but prevents rotation of these parts. This is important since the backing plate 53 is formed on its inner face with a ridge 56 which engages the outer face of actuator central region 46 and defines a fulcrum about which the actuator 22 pivots. The ridge 56 extends perpendicular to the plane in which the movable Contact 31 swings, and hence the actuator leg 48 pivots, about the ridge 56, in a plane parallel to the plane in which the movable contact swings.

In the present example, the inner surface of the backing plate 53 presents two inwardly converging faces 57 and 58 defining the ridge 56 at their line of intersection. The outer face 59 (FIG. 7) of the backing plate is adapted to abut a wall 6i), of housing part 20, at the inner end of the tubular portion 15. This limits the outward movement of the rod 28 and actuator 22. These parts are constantly urged outwardly by a compression spring 61 surrounding the rod 28. The outer end of the compression spring seats against the inner face of the actuator central yregion 46, the diameter of the spring 61 being larger than that of the hole 49, and the inner end of the spring 61 seats against a washer 62 loosely surrounding the rod 28 and resting against the outer face of wall 25.

The time delay switch includes a stationary contact 64 (sce in particular FIG. 4) supported against the inner face of wall 25, the contact 64 being bifurcated at its upper edge to permit the inner end of push rod 28 to pass beyond it. At its lower edge, the contact 64 is bent and passes out of the housing through a slot 65 (FIGS. 2 and 3) to present a springy contact finger 66 which maintains, at its free end, a constant yrubbing contact with the movable contact 31. Along its side edges, the contact 64 is formed with integral downwardly and inwardly projecting clips 67 (FIGS. '2 and 7), the lower edges of which engage a ledge adjacent to the slot 65 and prevent the contact 64 from slipping out of the housing through the slot. The movable contact 68 of the time delay switch is an L-shaped member, its lower section being xed to the housing part 20 by a rivet, the

. rivet also securing a terminal 69 (FIG. 2) to the housing.

The terminal 69 may of course be connected to a suitable conductor such as a wire. Like stationary contact 64, movable contact 68 is bifurcated at its upper edge t0 permit the inner end of rod 28 to pass beyond it. Due to its inherent resilience, the movable contact 68 tends to stand away from the stationary contact 64, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The movable contact 68 is normally held against the stationary contact by the closed end 72 of the lbellows 21. The bellows 21 has a generally cylindrical shape, i.e., a circular cross-section, and is formed of resilient material so that due to its inherent resilience it tends to expand axially. The bellows may, if desired, be found of flexible but unresilient material, and a compression spring arranged axially within it to cause expansion. The end of the bellows opposite the end 72 seats against the Wall of housing portion 17 opposite the wall 25, and is formed with an integral tubular extension 73 (FIGS. 1 and 2) enclosed within the housing appendage 18. The extension 73 snugly surrounds, in air-tight manner, the neck 74 of a itting having an enlarged end 75. The litting has a wall 76 between the neck 74 and end 75, and a small hole 77 in the wall provides communication between the interior of the bellows 21 and the interior of end 75. Within the enlarged end is a disk 78 (FIGS. 2 and 6) of flexible, air-impervious material, such as rubber, and a cap 79 closes the end 75. The portion 81 of the cap 79 within the end 75 has a triangular cross-sectional shape, the points of the triangle fitting snugly within end 75. At points beyond the edges of the triangular portion 81, the cap has holes 80 providing communication between the interior of end 75 and the atmosphere. The face of cap portion 81, together with wall 76, defines a narrow cavity within which the disk 78 stands on edge, the disk fitting relatively loosely within the cavity.

If the switch is to be used in the head of a doll, as shown in the above-identified copending application, it is advantageous to provide the tubular end portion of the housing part with a laterally projecting hollow stem 84 (FIGS. 1, 9, and l1), the interior of which communicates with the interior of the tubular portion 1S. One end of a tube (not shown) may snugly surround the stem 84 and transmit liquid to a low point of the dollS torso, to give the illusion that the doll wets after a liquid is introduced into its mouth during a simulated feeding operation. The liquid may be introduced through a hollow rigid nipple 85 of a simulated nursing bottle, and the outer end of the push rod 28 may be provided with a slot 86 to permit liquid fiow out of the nipple 85 when the nipple and rod are in engagement, as shown in FIGS. 7-9. A gasket 87, accommodated within an annular recess in the tubular end 15 of the housing fits snugly around the push rod 28 and prevents liquid from liowing between the .rod and housing to the switch contacts.

The switch means is operated by inserting an action initiator, such as a rigid element 85, into the tubular end portion of the housing. After the end of the action initiator 85 engages the outer end of push rod 28, continued inward movement of the initiator causes the rod to move inwardly. Consequently, the backing plate 53 pushes the actuator 22 inwardly (FIG. 7) against the force of spring 61, and assuming the movable contact 31 is in the condition shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 7, the inner edge 50 of actuator leg 48 engages the abutment 43 carried by the contact 31. As inward movement continues, engagement of the edge 50 and abutment 43 first causes the actuator 22 to tilt, as shown in FIG. 7, about its fulcrum 56 until the central region 46 of the actuator lies against the face 57 of the backing plate 53. Thereafter, the force which is transmitted to the abutment 4'3 causes the movable contact to swing about its pivot 32 to its other end position (FIG. 8). Thus, whereas the movable Contact was in engagement with stationary contact 30 (F-IG. 3) it has now been swung into engagement with stationary contact 29 (FIG. l0). During this movement, the spring 40 was initially compressed, but after swinging past the position in which the pin 38 and contact 31 were in alignment, the spring snapped the contact 31 against the contact 29.

At the same time that the activity just described is proceeding, the inner end of the push rod 28 has engaged the closed end 72 of bellows 21 and compressed the bellows (FIGS. 7-9). Thus, the movable contact 68 springs away from the stationary contact 64. During 'compression of the bellows, air is forced through the hole 77, between the disk 78 and wall 76, and out the holes 80. Since this air fiow pushes the disk 78 away from the wall 76, the flow of air is not substantially restricted. Furthermore, since the SPDT switch 29, 30, 31 is connected in series with the time delay switch 64, 68 via finger 66, any circuit to which the terminal 69 is connected will remain open because the contacts 64 and 68 are separated.

Upon removal of the action initiator 85 from the tubular end 15 of the housing (FIG. 11), the spring 61 returns the actuator 22, rod 28, and backing plate 53 to their outward positions, the spring 61 at the same time aligning the actuator with the longitudinal direction of the housing, as shown in FIG. 1. However, the time delay switch 64, 68 does not immediately reclose. The inherent resilience of the bellows causes it to expand axially, but to permit this expansion air must be allowed to re-enter the bellows. As air flows into the bellows interior through the holes 80 and hole 77, the higher pressure acting upon the disk face adjacent to the cap 79 tends to press the disk 78 against the wall 76, thereby restricting the flow of air through the hole 77. The rate of expansion of the bellows is thereby limited to the rate at which air seeps between the disk 78 and wall 76 and through the hole 77 into the bellows. Eventually, the bellows does return to its normal condition (FIG. 1) wherein its end 72 once again presses the contact 68 against the contact 64. The electric-circuit in which the switch means is located is thereupon completed, assuming no other opening in the circuit.

Upon the next insertion of the initiator into the tubular end 15, the actuator edge 50 engages the abutment 44 and swings the movable contact 31 back into engagement with stationary contact 30. At the same time, the bellows is again compressed to allow time delay switch 64, 68 to open, the latter switch being reclosed by the bellows a delay period after extraction of the initiator 85. Thus, it will be seen that successive insertions of the action initiator 85 into the housing causes the movable contact to alternate between its two end positions wherein it engages one or the other of the stationary contacts, and each initiator insertion also compresses the bellows and opens the time delay switch.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, and by way of example, and many variations may be made in the invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical switching device comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact, resilient means including a bellows having a normal condition in which said movable contact is held in one position with respect to said stationary contact, means for moving said resilient means out of its normal condition and compressing said bellows to permit said movable contact to assume another position with respect to said stationary Contact, said resilient means being stressed during such movement so that its inherent resilience causes it to return to its normal condition, means through which said bellows can communicate with the atmosphere, and means for controlling the rate of air flow between said bellows and the atmosphere, said controlling means permitting substantially free flow of air between said bellows and the atmosphere when said bellows is compressed, whereby said movable contact can be moved rapidly from said one position to said other position, and said controlling means restricting the flow of air between the atmosphere and said bellows during expansion of the latter, whereby a time delay is present between the time said resilient means is free to return to its normal condition and the time said movable contact reaches its said one position.

2. An electrical switching device as defined in claim 1 wherein said bellows is formed of resilient material.

3. An electrical switching device as defined in claim 1 wherein said controlling means includes a wall, the inner face of said wall communicating with the interior of said bellows, a hole in said wall, a fiexible air-impervious member adjacent to the outer face of said wall, and means for supporting said member in loose contact with the outer face of said wall, whereby air flowing out of said bellows upon movement thereof out of its normal condition fiows through said hole and between the outer face of said wall and said member but air flowing into said bellows during its return to normal condition causes said member to be pressed against said wall thereby restricting air fiow through said hole.

4. An electrical switching device comprising first and second spaced-apart stationary contacts, a movable contact pivotable about an axis fixed with respect to said stationary contacts, said movable contact being swingable between two end positions in which it engages one or the other of said stationary contacts, an actuator movable toward and away from said pivot axis along a path extending along a line between said stationary contacts and intersecting said-pivot axis, and a pair of abutments carried by and movable with said movable contact, saidy abutments being located at all times on opposite sides of said line, and only one of said abutments being located in the path of travel of said actuator when said movable contact is in one of its end positions, whereby upon forward movement of said actuator toward said pivot axis when said movable contact is in either of its end positions, said actuator engages one of said abutments and pivots said movable contact to its other end position.

5. An electrical switching device as defined in claim 4 including a spring urging said movable contact toward either stationary contact which it engages, said spring being stressed to a maximum extent as said movable contact crosses said line.

6. An electrical switching device as deiined in claim 4 including7 a push member movable along said path, said member carrying said actuator for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the plane in which said movable contact pivots, whereby said actuator is permitted to pivot upon engagement with one of said abutments.

7. An electrical switching device as defined in claim 6 wherein said actuator is loosely supported on said push member, and including a backing plate carried by said push member behind said actuator for transmitting the forward movement of said push member to said actuator, the -forward face of said plate presenting a ridge, whereby said actuator pivots about said ridge upon engagement with either of said abutments.V

8. An electrical switching device as defined in claim 6 including a housing supporting said contacts, said push member being a rod supported rfor longitudinal sliding movement within said housing, and said housing having a tubular portion colinear with said rod, whereby said switch may be actuated by inserting an action initiator into said tubular portion.

9. An electrical switching device as defined in claim 8 wherein said rod slides within a part of said tubular housing portion, and including a hollow stem projecting from said housing and communicating with the interior of said tubular portion, and a gasket surrounding said rod and snugly accommodated between said rod and the inner surface of said tubular portion at a Ipoint between said stem and said contacts, whereby when the switchactuating element is inserted into said tubular portion discharges a liquid, the latter will flow through said stem and will be prevented from flowing to said contacts by said gasket.

10. An electrical switching device as defined in claim 4 including a third stationary contact, a second movable contact, resilient means for holding said second movable contact against said third stationary contact, a rod for transmitting motion from an external source to said actuator, said rod serving simultaneously to stress said resilient' means and permit separation of said third stationary contact and second movable contact, and an e1ectrical connection between one of said second and third contacts and said first-mentioned movable contact.

r References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,479,047 8/ 1949 Long. 2,583,661 1/1952 Morrison 62-234 XR 2,640,121 5/1953 2,711,456 6/ 1955 Goodhouse et al. 3,187,121 6/1965 Mingrone. 3,178,531 4/1965 Dawson et al.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner J. R. SCOTT, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 62--234 

